Games
by Sliwolf
Summary: Immortals play dangerous games. This is a story about their never ending plots.Revised with better spelling and more detail
1. Just in case

Los Angeles

Los Angeles

C&C investment building

April 9th

12:39 pm

Connor stood, his hand Chained behind his back, looking at the man sitting in his boss's old chair. "Connor you know, this transition doesn't have to be difficult for you."

Connors lips curled in a savage smile.

"Doesn't have to be hard, you killed most of my men and ran off the ones that you didn't, what was that other thing hmmm let me think…. O yea you stuck by sire's head on a fucking pole in your trophy room."

The man smiled a smiled reserved for children who were throwing a temper tantrum "That was just business you're the best soldier that Cain had. I could use a man like you in controlling L.A. The Game we immortals play is perilous as your sire unfortunately learned." Connor's face darkened with hatred "Bite me DeGaulle"

"I do hope you change your mind"

"Not likely "

DeGaulle sighed "Well you know what this means don't you"

"Yea I know my head gets to join my sire's in your trophy room"

"I'm afraid so but in my benevolence I'll give you until tomorrow night to change your mind"

Connor's rage reached its boiling point with fangs bared he lunged at the man who kill his master. Weakened from his lack of feeding and the extended fighting to stop DeGaulle's men, he only made it half way to him before a guard punched him in the stomach. As Connor stumbled backwards DeGaulle smiled again.

"Oh how the mighty have fallen a week a go you could have ripped my throat out with no more effort than it takes to walk a cross this room" he walked out from behind his desk and delivered a devastating punch to Connors already bruised midsection. "Now hear me .Vampire, Cain is dead and I. now. The. King. of. This. City. " He delivered a monstrous hit with every word.

Connor only glared through the blood running down his face "You might rule but you are no king" with that he lunged with all the strength he had caching DeGaulle under the chin. In one swift move Connor got his feet and ran to the window and jumped.

With his hands chained behind his back there was nothing he could do to slow his descent to the L.A. streets below. He hit the ground harder than he had hoped and started running towards his haven in Griffith Park at full speed calling on every last bit of energy he had he made it to the shack in the center of the park. He entered and found it as it was left a small fridge and a cot that had seen better day .Calling on what little strength he had remaining he pulled on the hand cuffs restraining his wrists. Looking down at his wrists he saw the blood running down, were the cuffs had cut him. Going to the small fridge he got a blood pack and started to feed. He drank with desperation as the wounds on his body quickly healed. Grabbing the bag under a little bed, he looked through it.

Inside were two grand in cash, a change of clothes and a .50 caliber desert eagle and two extra lips. Looking though one of the outside pockets he found the keys to a car parked down the road.

Connor smiled Cain had set this place up in case things got bad and they needed to get out of town fast .The smile disappeared when he thought of his mentor's fate. Grabbing the bag he .Went to the car and hit the road going east. He was going to the one place he knew he'd be safe, New York and Jack.


	2. memories

Some Were in Nevada

Some Were in Nevada

The Last stop Motel

April 9th

5:47 am

Connor drove until he the sun started to paint the sky over head. The car Cain had chosen was exactly what you would need to make a fast get a way. It was a black 1969 mustang with a specially modified engine to squeeze every last bit of horse power out.

Connor grimaced at the prospect of having to stay at this fleabag motel. From the outside he saw the walls of the entire motel needed a new coat of paint in 1975, the sign had multiple burnt out bulbs but it had enough that he could read "the Last Stop motel". It didn't help that his vampire senses could pick up every disturbing smell, sight, and sound.

There was a lot of business being conducted in this place for five in the morning. He could hear a prostitute peddling her trade with a total abandon of enthusiasm, and her johns complaints at this. He could smell the grease used to keep automatic weapons in working order and money. He heard a drug dealer and his costumer doing there business, and the female junkie making a non-monetary payment. Connor scowled he could smell the decay of dead bodies that had at one point graced this place.

He considered getting back in his car and driving until he got to Las Vegas, but even with the cars dark tints the sun would still are a problem. While the sun wouldn't kill a vampire it still hurt like a bitch. He hesitantly got out of his car walking towards the office.

The smells from the outside but it was nothing compared to this the stink of piss, old blood, and sweat that met him inside. He walked over to the front desk and rang the bell. A portly man with thinning hair walked out a minute later. "What can I do you for, buddy?" asked the man. Connor put two hundred dollars on the table and said "I need a room with plenty of privacy and no questions" the man looked at the money with a knowing smile. By the looks of this place it was a common request. The man reached under the desk, got out a key as simultaneously took the two hundred dollars Connor put on the table. "And how long will you be staying with us Mister….." he said looking Connor up and down in his well tailored suit and impressive six feet three inches. "Smith, John Smith, and only until tonight." With that the man handed Connor a key and said "Room twelve End of the hall"

Connor walked towards the room and saw the angry john and the disinterested prostitute leave. Connor smiled when he saw a gold wedding band on the john's right hand, no matter how much time passed people didn't change much. He tried his best to ignore the smells as he walked past the doors of the other rooms.

Connor reached his room and looked around. It was small with full size bed in the corner, an adjoined bathroom and thankfully only one window. He quickly covered the window with linens he found in the bathroom.

After that he pealed off his clothes and went to the shower. He stood there for some time letting the water rundown his body and wash away the blood and sweat. Connor could see the pink water as it ran down his well muscled chest, and all the way down his flawless well toned abdomen. He ran his fingers through his short hair letting the dried blood be swept a way by the cool water.

He thought about his sire for the thousandth time today, he thought of his friends and fellow soldiers who had died in a brave but ultimately vain attempt to protect there master.

The water continued to ran down his face and body and he thought a bout the day his life changed the day his master brought him into the embrace of in mortality.

London

June 8th 1643

7:32 pm

The English civil war was tearing the country apart for two years and no one noticed a young hood wandering the streets. Connor Galbraith was his full name in those days the result of an Irish father and an Arab mother the mix gave him his natural tanned skin, dark hair, and dark green eyes. He was over six feet tall which in those days that was almost unheard of. He didn't remember much about his parents they had lost both of them in a fire when he was twelve, and had lived in the streets ever since.

Connor hadn't eaten in three days when saw a gentleman with a large coin purse attached to his belt, Connor followed him. He didn't know that this action would change his life forever. In a dark alley Connor made his move with knife in hand he advanced on the man. Pressing the blade into the older mans back he said "Give he the purse and you can walk away" the man laughed and turned to face him. Connor pressed the knife into the mans abdomen "I'm not kidding ill still your guts" the man again laughed "Then do it, boy" Connor had robbed many people, due to his size most people just gave him what he wanted with no trouble, so he'd never actually had to resort to violence.

The man sensed the hesitation and tore the knife away at the same time pushing Connor against a wall and pointing the tip of the knife in Connors throat. "First rule of using a weapon don't point if you're not ready to use it." Connor couldn't move fear had griped him and he could do nothing but nod. He man smiled and spoke again "What's your name boy?"

"C-Connor, sir"

"Connor, huh? Well Connor how would you like to earn some money?" the man asked still pressing the blade to Connors throat

"Your offering me work?" the mans smile returned "Yes, yes I am your nice and big. I can always use some more protection" Connor swallowed hard and thought for a second "Alright then sir, then how much is the pay?" the man put the blade down as he laughed heartily "Will discus that later, but for now my name is Cain, and I'm your new master."

Cain took the young man under his wing teaching him to read and write, how to fight, and how to behave with in the aristocracy. Cain was surprised by how smart the young man was, picking up all the lesson presented to him, quickly and eagerly. They did this for six moths living in Cain's estate. Connor found it strange that during the day he was tutored by servants and the like during the day, but saw no trace of his employer until night fall. He always accepted the servant's excuse of "The master is a very busy man and has no time during his day" he accepted it, but still doubted it. One night Cain walked into the library where Connor was studying. Looking up from his book Connor smiled and said "Good evening, master" Cain smile "Good evening Connor I would like you to get dressed and a company me to a gathering tonight" Connor agreed and went to his room were he dressed in his very finest apparel.

That night they rode a carriage to a large estate. Upon entering the home they were greeted by the major domo who introduced them as "Sir Cain Walker and mister Connor Galbraith". They walked down the grand stairs to a ball room. Looking around Connor saw dozens of people in fine dress with the exception of one man who stayed in the farthest corner.

There were long tables cover with platters full of fine foods and drink. Many of the people looked at Connor, making him feel weary. The night progressed slowly until the bell for dinner was sounded and they were escorted to a large dinning room. After they ate the man at the head of the table stood and rose his glass "I would like to propose a toast to old friends" with that he tipped his glass towards Cain "and to new ones" he said tipping his glass to me. I raised my own cup in return. With that we all drank "and now if you would all would move to the ball room we can start the dancing" with that we got up I started to walk towards the ball room when Cain touched my upper arm "I must speak with you" he said as he led me to a small study.

"Connor what I'm going to tell you is going to be difficult for you to fathom…." He explained what he was a Vampire an immortal I was shocked and more than a little frightened "I want to turn you into one of use it's your choice if you say no I will respect your decision and not bother you again. I'll give you enough money to survive and passage to were ever you may want to go." Connor sat there trying to comprehend what was happening "What will happen?" he asked slowly.

"I will drain you until your near death then I will feed you my blood"

"What will happen to me?"

"You will be stronger, faster than you could ever imagine. You will have to avoid the sun while it won't kill you it will hurt terribly. You can not have children after your embraced .You will have to drink the blood of humans. This part is very important you can feed on humans but you have to avoid killing innocents with corpses come questions and we can't have that" Connor sat there listening absorbing what Cain was saying. He thought back to the day when he had slept in the streets and eaten what ever he could find. Connor looked at the fancy clothes and felt his full stomach. Cain had given him so much and had asked nothing in return. How could Connor possibly deny this man, who had given him everything and, asked for nothing, this.

"I'll do it" Connor said after a few moments. With that Cain stood and lightly pushed Connor's head to the side. Connor felt Cain's sharp fangs bit in to the soft skin of his neck. It hurt terribly at first the pain quickly subsided in to a dull ache. Darkness started to take him when he heard his master voice "Say drink Connor, drink"

Connor started to drink; he hadn't noticed the wrist at his lips until he did. Then it happened, an explosion of sensations. Like a man who had lived in candle light, seeing the sun for the first time. Everything seemed brighter sharper, every sound clear, and every smell strong. He felt as if he had a woken from a deep sleep.

Cain withdrew his wrist from the new vampire's mouth. With his trademark smile he said "Welcome my child to your new world"

With that Cain led the dazed Connor to the ball room. When he entered the entire place erupted in applause, even the sullen man in the corner clapped. He felt something he hadn't felt since his parents died. A Place he belonged.

The shabbily dress man came to the front and yell "To Connor the newest member of our immortal family." Everyone cheered and came forth to shake his hand and pat his back several attractive women kissed his cheek and one grabbed his rear.

After that the Celebration really started thralls, human servants to vampires, were brought in Cain led Connor to a small blond woman and said "It time for your first feeding I know its hard but you cannot kill, drink enough but don't drain her" the girl was pretty a offered her neck Connor felt his canines elongate and he bit into the girls neck feeling the warm life pour into his waiting mouth. The feeling was intoxicating; it made him feel unbeatable, indestructible.

The girl moaned as Connor let go, he looked around and saw that most of vampires were doing the same thing Connor. The shabbily dressed man came up to him laughing and said "Yes, sir there is nothing quite as good as the first one hmmmmm. Hi, kid names Jack" said the man extending his hand "Connor" he responded taking the older mans hand. "So how do you feel, kid?"

Connor smiled and said "Like I'm alive for the first time"

Jack laughed "Yea I remember that first feed, enjoy it its never quite as good"

The rest of the night continued that way feeding and laughing until it the sun started to rise.

From then on Connor had been Cain's soldier, and friend they were together for centuries. Until two day ago when the kind man had his head cut off and mounted on a pike.

Connor shut of the water and stepped out. He toweled himself off and put on a pair of boxers from his bag.

He flopped on the bed and let sleep take him along with dreams of his past.


	3. Blood bath

Some were in Nevada

Some were in Nevada

Last stop Motel

April 9th

6:22 pm

Connor eyes open at a very familiar smell, blood, a lot of it he could also make out the subtle sent of fear. He moved to the window and looked out, the sun was starting to set and he could see six heavily armed men standing near the office door .Growling, he moved away from the window, and pulled out a pair of pants and his shoes. Taking the pistol out of his bag he checked, and loaded it. Stepping back he leveled his weapon to about where the average male head would be.

Now guns won't kill a vampire, but if they received enough damage it would slow them down. At close range a caliber this big could decapitate a vamp, which would lead to death.

Plus, even if it didn't kill them a .50 caliber weapon could give anyone a very bad day.

The door knob turned all the way and the door was pushed open. The vampire opened the door and found the large caliber weapon pointed at his head. He hesitated not knowing what to do Connor smiled saying "Hello" before firing his monstrous pistol "Goodbye" he added as the nearly decapitated corpse hit the ground with a wet thump.

Stepping outside slowly he heard the dead vamps comrades rushing towards the loud sound. DeGaulle's men raised automatic weapon and stated firing.

He took several rounds in the chest and abdomen while moved to the closest wall. Connor pushed open the nearest room door and entered. "What the fuck is going on? Who the fucks are you" yelled the rooms occupant, a man with a sawed off shot gun and track marks on his arms "Great a junkie with a gun just what I need right now" Connor thought. Quickly sidestepping out of the man's line of fire and punched him in the nose causing blood to shoot .The man fell to the ground unconscious, grabbing the junkies sawed off shot gun Connor went towards the edge door.

A hail of rounds hit the side of the room when the men saw him move. "I really miss when you could only fire three round a minute" Connor thought as he stepped out of the room, and into incoming fire. Several rounds hit his body, he retaliated with his pistol and newly acquired shotgun, and the vampire's quickly went down one by one. When they didn't get back up Connor frowned.

Then the smell hit him, blood, but it wasn't vampiric, it was human blood. These weren't vamps; DeGaulle had sent humans after him.

He walked to one of the dying men who had received a shotgun blast to the lower body; his face was full of fear, and pain.

The man tried to back away from Connor but couldn't "Wha-W-What are you? We pumped full clips into you. How can you still are alive?"

They didn't know what they were up against. Things then started to make sense. Anyone who knew how to hunt a vamp would use large caliber weapons. This group was using small caliber automatics, good for killing humans but woefully underpowered for hunting vampires. There was the time they attacked the time humans were having dinner, when they were distracted, and relaxed, but when a vampire should be just getting up and active. The last thing was spilling the blood, anyone who knew anything about vampires would know that no matter how deep the sleep blood could always awaken a vampire.

"Who sent you? How did you find me?" asked Connor. The man refused to answer and continued to try move away "If you tell me ill take the pain away" this got the mans attention "H-How?" he asked shaking from the loss of blood, and fear "First answer my questions"

The man took a deep breath and said "These guys in suits came around the hood and told all the local crews that it we brought you in dead or alive he would pay each one of us fifty grand."

"Ok, now how did you know were to find me?"

"We didn't we just took every possible road out of the city and went from there. We just got lucky when we found this motel and the guy said he'd seen a guy who fit you. Now help, man. Please"

Connor nodded. This was bad, unimaginably bad, the one rule that all vampire followed was to keep humans from knowing the truth. DeGaulle had broken that rule which meant he was desperate or had something up his sleeve. Regardless this was a bad situation, if humans started to figure out that vampire were real they would hunt them all down to extinction. It had happened once before, during the inquisition and they almost didn't survive. Now that humans had automatic weapons and there science they might finish the job.

Connor looked down at the man and said "Thank you, I'll take the pain away now" with that Connor bit into the man's neck. He drank deep until he felt no pulse. The blood left a bitter after taste of long drug use and too much alcohol. No matter how low the quality the blood was Connor felt his wounds start to close up.

Standing up he slowly walk toward the door leading to the office and saw the source of the blood that had awoken him. The owner's throat had been cut from ear to ear.

Walking around he looked for anything that might be of use, he found a small safe. He squatted down ripped the door off the hinges. Inside he found about five thousand dollars in cash along with a small thirty-eight, probably for protection, not that it had done any good against the gang bangers.

Taking the money he ran back into his room, got his things, and went to his car. Before he got the key into the lock he hears another car approaching fast. By the sound of the engine it was a large SUV, a car like the ones drug dealers and small time crooks seemed to so like. Sighing, Connor takes his pistol out of his belt and pushes the clip release. Looking at the counter he sees he only had two rounds left. He replaced the nearly empty clip with a fresh one and tucks the pistol back into his belt.

"This is going to be a really bad night" Said Connor to himself

The black stopped in front of him and four large Hispanic men stepped out. All carrying 9 mm pistols, enough to really sting a vampire, but nothing else. The lead guy came up to Connor holding his gun sideways, in classic john woo style.

It looks good but when it comes to aiming holding it like that was useless. These guys were amateurs playing at the big time.

"Hey man, how 'bout you get in the car and we go for a little ride? You got some friends who are looking for you" said the man in a sneering voice meant to induce fear, and coupled with the gun it would have worked on most humans. With Connor on the other hand it just induced annoyance "How about you and your boys get back in you nice truck and I promise won't kill you all?"

The man stated to laugh and turned to his friends who joined in, Connor laughed with them "Are you fucking with me, you're a funny guy" said the man putting the gun to Connors head he said as he stopped laughing "Real fucking funny."

Connor again sighed "I tried to warn you, but pussies with guns never listen" before the man could open his mouth to respond Connor reached out and grabbed the gun that was aimed at his head. He pulled the gun out of the man's hand, and squeezed the same hand until a sickening crunch fills the still night air. The man fell to his knees in pain, his comrades started to fire there weapons at Connor expecting him to go down under the hail of lead being sent his way.

To there surprise however Connor rushed at them with an inhuman speed and tore out the throat of the first man's throat with his clawed hand letting spill his life into the Nevada desert. After seeing that not only were there bullets were not effective, but that he had just killed one of there friends the other two men rushed towards him with knives they pulled out of there pockets.

Connor could smell the adrenaline coming from his two attackers, and smiled good if there angry they'll fight stupid. Grabbing the arm of the one that reached him first Connor brought his knee up to the man's elbow resulting in a sharp snapping sound. Using the now broken arm as a lever he quickly moved behind the man and snapped his neck in one swift motion.

Connor was so distracted with the first man he didn't realize that he had left his back exposed to the second man. It was rookie mistake, something that a nearly four hundred year old soldier shouldn't have let happen. The man tried to take advantage of this monstrous mistake, but he only managed to graze Connor near his hip. Turning around Connor used his elbow to smash the thug under chin with enough force to crack all the man's teeth.

The man fell to the ground holding his bleeding mouth, taking the knife out of the man's hand Connor walked behind the man and rammed the blade into the space between the mans first vertebra and his brain stem killing him instantly.

The fight was over in little under twenty seconds. For anyone watching I would have seemed almost like a dance. A ballet of blood and violence, every movement precise and smooth, no energy wasted no act without purpose

Connor walked to the man still nursing his crushed hand. The man looked up in horror after witnessing the death of his friends. "What the fuck are you?" asked the man.

Connor smile "I'm what people pray to god for protection from"

With that he bit into the man's neck not trying at all to spare him any pain. The bullet wounds and scratch on his back disappeared almost instantly after he finished. He drained the gagster dry and let the body drop to the dirt.

He moved back to his car and got in. He drove as fast as he could, to get away from the now blood drenched motel before the police showed up. As he gunned the engine down the desert road he started to try and peace together what the hell DeGaulle was thinking sending human after him.

"The Fucking Game" Connor said to himself

It had hit him all of a sudden the Game, DeGaulle was playing the god-dammed Game. By sending the humans after him he would know which Connor was headed with out thinning his power in L.A. There for he still had enough power in the city to keep any resistance, to his new reign, down to a minimum. While at the same time keeping Connor on edge never knowing were the next attack would come from.

By putting Connor in the position to have to kill humans, DeGaulle could send out a message to all city kings that he has gone rogue and set up a blood hunt. With a blood hunt there would be no one would allow him in their city. Leaving him with nowhere to run or hide, he would be dead in a matter of days. There was also the extremely slim chance that these idiots had actually captured him. That would have been just perfect for the new King of L.A.

Connor floored the pedal when he could faintly here the sounds of police sirens going towards the blood bath at the motel.

Immortals and there never ending Game. When you had an eternity to exist your plans reflect that in there complexity and ruthlessness. Connor had to get to friendly territory fast or soon he wouldn't have to worry about the game or anything else for that matter.


	4. Breakdown

Illinois

Illinois

Route 53

April 12th

5:09 pm

After three days of pushing his car to the breaking point.…… Tthe car finally gives to the abuse.driving hard the car decided that it had had enough and stopped at the side of the road. Connor growled and got out of the now dead car and opened the hood. He was met with a plume of white smoke. Looking at the inside of a car was like looking at the abyss, to Connor it meant nothing.none of it meant anything.

He looked up and saw that the sun was low enough for him to risk the walk to the nearest town.

After twenty minutes Connor reached a rest stop with a repair shop. Thanking whatever deity that listens to vampires he walked towards the garage. He noticed an old tow truck outside and a worn sign that read Russo's Garage

As he entered his nose was assaulted by the smell of motor oil, cigarettes, and sweat. He looked around for someone to help him but found no one. "Is there any one here who can help me?"

Connor heard foot steps come from the end of the shop and turned around. tThe voice that answered responded surprised him. "Depends on what you need help with." aA young woman stepped into view from behind a car. She was small, maybe five three, so that Connor towered over her. Her dark, motor oil covered hair, was pulled in a pony tail behind her. She was wearing a beaten a too large t-shirt that was to large for her small figurethat had seen better days, a pair of jeans, with a tool belt, and heavy black work boots.

But even with the dirt and too large clothinges Connor could see that if she wanted to she could have gotten into the most exclusive clubs in any city. Under the grease he could tell that her skin was fair and clear. Her body was well toned and muscled from years of hard work. While her hands were covered in hard earned calluses and dirt, he could see that her fingers still possessed the slenderness and beauty of a woman in her primewere long and slender. Her face, though covered in gunk, contained a beauty that no scalpel or face cream could ever duplicate.was slender and fine boned. Overall she was what Connor would have calledcall an old world beauty.

Conner continued to take in the beauty that emanated from her, not realizing that his eyes have remained transfixed upon her luscious curves. The woman, annoyed at Connor's stare, asked "Is there something I can help you with or are you going just stare" At this, Connor blinked bringing him out of his thoughts.

"Yes,… my car broke down about three mile down the road"

"Alright, wwhat kind car is it"

"A black 1969 mustang." At this the girl raised a single eye brow and whistled, "tThat's a nice car." Looking Connor up and down, she noticed his seeing the black Jos. A. Bank hHerringbone topcoat, over his tight black stripe snap Armani shirt with matching pants. tThe top two buttons on his shirt were left open so people she could see his well muscled chest. His hair was cut short and stylized to match the models from Vogue Magazine and stylish h. And to finish the ensemble, he was wearing a pair of jet black Gucci shoes. After her examination all she could say wasair cut she said, "You'rer not from around here, huh?"

"Why do you say that?"

"Because the nearest town is Jonesburg and the only people who dress this nice there are gay, and since you were staring at my chest a little while ago I'm guessing your straight"

Connor's mouth gaped open, "I wasn't looking at your chest."

The girl smiled, showing her white teeth, "So you are gay."

"What? No I'm not."

"So you were looking at my chest?"

"NO, I wasn't"

"So which is it, your gay or you were looking at my chest?" Connor had survived lived three hundred eighty-seven years and has never been talked into a corner this quickly.

"Listen, can we just get my car." tThe girl smiled and nodded her head, "We sure can mister….." Connor looked at the girl and thought before answering, "Connor, you can call just call me Connor. Mister makes me sound old." The girl nodded and headed out of the shop. "I'm Sasha, and please don't try any of that suave, sophisticated, crap on me, it won't work and it wastes both are of our time."

Connor looked at Sasha's back as she walked away. It had been a while since he was entertained with another's presence. He chuckled as he walked outside to meet her.

He saw that she was already in the driver side of the old tow truck. She signaled for him to get into the passenger side.

They drove the three miles until they reached the dead car.

Sasha got out of the car and whistled, "You walked all that." Connor simply nodded. "Wow that's impressive., iIs that how you stay fitso tonnedtoned?" She asked as she walked to the car and opened the hood.

Connor smiled thinking about the fight at the motel "Amongst other things, yes."

Sasha looked up from her work and smiled coyly, "Hmm rich, cute, well dressed, and straight. I might just let you see me naked." Connors eyes widened and blinked repeatedly.

Twice in one day this girl, no older than twenty-three, left him speechless.

Sasha looked up from her work and said, "Here's the problem, too much sand in the engine. I'm gdoing to have to clean it out and replace the spark plug.s" lLooking at the nearly dark sky she shrugged and said "I can have it done by tomorrow." Connor sighed and shook his head. He had wanted to leave and keep what ever lead he had on his pursuers.

"Is there any way you would could do it faster?" asked Connor. Sasha smiled sadly and started to hook the mustang's front wheels to the truck for tow. "Sorry, your cute, but not that cute. It's getting late and I've been working all day. Don't worry there's motel right by my shop. And if you played your cards right, I might just join you."

Sasha dropped him off at the motel by her shop. He checked in at the motel which was clean much unlike the last motel he stayed at. After leaving, he dropppinged his bags in the small room. hHe decided to go to a dinner not too far down the road, which he had he had seen on the way up here.

He reached the dinner and sat in a booth at in the back. Years of constant fighting had taught Connor to sit with his back against the wall and his front facing the door, just in case. He looked over the menu the waitress had given him upon entering. After glacingglancing at it for a moment he was distracted by the sound of someone entering through the door. He was looking it over when he heard the door open.

Connor looked up to see a freshly showered and changed Sasha heading for the counter. She sat down and greeted the man behind the counter and before she ordered was presented with a fresh cup of coffee and a slice of pie.

A waitress came to his booth and asked for his order. "I'll have the steak with a baked potato and a glass of water" The woman didn't look up as she wrote it on her pad, ", aAnd how would you like you're steak"

Connor grinned "Rare, very rare."

"Ok, rare."

With that the waitress took the menu and headed for the kitchen. His food arrived shortly after that. Human food wouldn't nourish him enough to survive on it alone but it provided enough to quite the hunger.

The door again opened and in stepped three large men reeking with the smell of cheap alcohol. They walked to the counter and sat next to Sasha.

"Hey, Sasha when are you ganna let me work on your engine?" slurred the drunken man closest to her, and winked to his friends.

"How 'bout I pencil you in for a half an hour after hell freezes over?" she said not looking up from her coffee. The man's friends laughed briefly before they were silenced by the seething glance from their comrade. but the laughter die with an angry look from the first man.

"Oh, come on, baby, why are you so nasty to me?" said the man as he reached under the counter and grabbed her leg. Sasha picked up the man's hand and dropped it on the counter. "Don't ever touch me, again," She said in a bored voice. With that she finished her coffee and stood up to leave. The man had other plans in mind.

He lashed out and grabbed her arm. "Don't you talk to me like that you little, bitch!" Sasha looked down at the hand, her aggravation rising to dangerous levels. "Let go of me, Fred. I'm warning you." Aat this, the man laughed and looked at his friends who joined in. Connor would never understand why assholes always needed theirre friend's approval for their idiotic actionsto join in on there laughter.

Fred turned back to her and sneered, "Not 'till you're a little nicer to me and the boys." Tthe men with Fred hooted in support of theirre leader. Before the drunken man knew what was happening Sasha reached for the empty coffee cup and smashed it against the side of Fred's head. He let go in shock of what had just happened. "You little bitch your ganna pay for that," he said as he got up, but Sasha was already out the door. Fred and his friends foallowed her outside as blood was now pouring from the his scalp laceration. Connor could fell his stomach grumble and his fangs elongate a little at the sight of the blood. Connor stood up, dropped a twenty on the table, and fallowed followed them outside.

As Connor walked out, hHe saw Fred swuing a meaty fist at Sasha who dodged it expertly., as Connor walked out, Sasha then delivereding a swift kick to the man's genitlales. Holdinggenitals. Holding his bruised manhood Fred went feel to the ground. The other two men rushed at her and swung the fistsfists swinging. Using her small size and inherent speed she dodged and landed a punch into the first man's stomach. As the second man reached Sasha, she lunged into his mid section robbing him of breath. Fred now stood up and raised a fist but before he could bring it down Sasha landed a right hook to the large man's nose. The impact was hard enough to splatter blood all over the parking lot.cause blood spill.

Finally the two men grabbed her from behind and pinned her to the hood of a car. Fred approached Sasha squirming form, "Now your ganna get what you deserve, you little bitch" his hands went to his fly.

Connor had seen enough. "Okay, boys leave her alone." Fred looked over to the new disturbance, "Fuck off, pretty boy," and turned back to Sasha. Connor was getting annoyed by the man's tone, "Why is it that fat assholes never listen the first time?" he said out loud. Fred turned around and looked at Connor.

"You wanna go asshole?" slurred the drunken idiot as he advanced on Connor. "No, but if you don't leave her alone I will have to kick your ass." answered Connor in a bored voice. "Fuck you, you little prick" said Fred as he swung at Connor. Easily moving out of the way Connor then delivered a swift kick to the man's knee forcing it to bend the wrong way.

Fred's friends, intoxicated with full of liquid courage, let go of Sasha and rushed at Connor. Side stepping out of the way of the first man he Conner reached out with his right fist and connected with the second man's throat. As Tthe man was falling, as his chin connected with Connor's raising approaching knee.

The man that Connor had managed to avoid turned around just in time to see his friend hit the ground, his mouth leaking blood. Turning back to Connor the man again rushed at Connor, who planted his feet wideon the ground. Connor used the man's momentum he and grabbed the man's arm and fliped him onto his back with a loud thump. Then Connor twisted the arm still in his hand until he felt the shoulder pop out of it's socket.

Turning to Sasha he offered his hand. She put her small callused hand in his, noticing a gentle squeeze of concern. large soft ones, and he helped her up. "Not bad, three guys against single small woman." Sasha smiled "Not good enough I guess., tThanks." She started to walk back towards her garage and then turned around "Hhmm cute, rich, well dressed, straight, and saved me from being raped," she smilesmiled coyly again. "Now I definitely have to let you feel me up." wWith that she walked back towardinto her garage.

Laughing, Connor walked back to his motel room. It was good to know that there were still things beyond this world that could make him feel alive.


	5. Nice Friends

Illinois

Illinois

Russo's Garage

April 13th

4:53 pm

Connor walked into the dimly lit garage and found Sasha with a wrench working under the hood of his car.

"How's it going?" asked Connor. Sasha jumped and turned with wrench in hand ready. "Don't sneak up on me like that"

Connor shrugged, "Sorry didn't mean to scare you, how the car coming." Sasha just growled "Well you did, and the car is great. Who ever modified it knew exactly what they were doing this car is pumping out maximum horse but with no damage. It's very impressive work". She turned away from Connor and went back to what she was doing when he walked in. "And if the person behind the wheel knew what the hell they were doing, this baby be would be in perfect shape"

Connor didn't hear the last comment as his mind wandered to another shape, when he saw Sasha bent over the interior of his car. She finished tightening the last bolt and she stood up ending Connor's fantasies. "Okay, she's now ready to go."

Turning to her tool box she withdrew an invoice.

Connor looked over it and frowned, "A hundred dollars for a tune up"

Sasha smiled "Yea the old girl really needed it"

"Yes but I didn't ask for a tune up"

"Ahhh its ok you didn't have to, I just knew"

Connor just rolled his eyes and pulled out five hundred dollars in cash and put it in front of Sasha's grey eyes "The extra two hundred is so that if anyone asks you forget I was here. Understand?"

Sasha smirked "I never met you" she said as she took the money in front of her. Connor smiled and started to walk towards his car until he heard her say "You know Connor; we have a problem now, don't you?"

Connor turned around his hand on the butt of the pistol tucked in his belt. "Really what's the problem?" He said in a calm steady voice, he trained his expression not to give a way any thing.

Sasha smirked and pressed her body against his, so he could feel her ample breast, and her beating heart. "Well you're cute, rich, well dressed, strait, saved me from rape, and dangerous I may just jump on you right now." With that she pressed her full against his. Connor at first didn't respond at first in utter shock, but when he realized what was happening, he kissed her back with great vigor. She broke the embrace and smiled walking away she motioned with her figure for him to follow into the office. Connor smirked and started to follow until a familiar smell hit him, phosphorus. Sasha looked back to Connor when she saw he failed to follow her, "What's up?" she asked. Connor didn't answer, but instead stared out of the open garage door at the car that just pulled in to the street. "You know if you hadn't noticed, I'm a really hot woman asking you to follow me into my office, to have great, crazy, kinky, anonymous sex." Connor didn't respond.

It was a large black sedan with dark tints and three men stepping out. All of them were dressed in business suits and long over coats, all seemingly armed with large caliber pistols and from the smell of phosphorus they were loaded incendiary round.

Fire, even the small amount produced by incendiary rounds, was a vampire's worst nightmare.

Connor reached behind his belt and pulled out his desert eagle. At the sight of the large weapon Sasha back away eyes wide. "Sasha, do you have a gun?" She continued to back away. Never taking his eyes of the men coming out of the sedan "Sasha, if you want to stay alive go to your office, get your gun, and hide" Sasha still didn't respond "SASHA, DO IT NOW" Connor yelled still not taking his eyes of the three men who were now a aware of Connors presence and turning to him.

Connor's raised voice snapped Sasha out of her trance and sent her running for her office. Connor raised his weapon and fired, sending a 12.7 mm piece of lead at more than fourteen hundred miles an hour into the body of first his assailant. The man went down from the shear impact of the massive round hitting his chest. The other men turned and fired their weapons. Connor didn't move as saw the flaming tips of the rounds coming towards him, missing only inches his head. He continued to fire at the two men as a single round burned its way into Connor's abdomen. Ignoring he fired that burned his insides, he continued to fire at the men now running for cover. He emptied the rest of the twelve round clip before the man made it behind the relative cover of there car.

Hitting the clip release Connor pulled his last clip out of his pocket and rammed it home in one well practiced move. Pulling the slide he aimed again before the first magazine had a chance hit the floor. He heard Sasha close the door to her office, finally reaching her end.

The man that Connor first fired on stood up, a gaping hole in his chest, and started to fire back. These were no common street thugs these, were Connor's immortal brothers.

Connor ducked behind a car in Sasha's garage and fired back, the bullet in his gut hurting immensely from the damage done by the now extinguished fire. Looking over the car he saw the other two men taking a queue from the risen comrade both returned to the fight, sending a wall of lead his way. Aiming at the head of one attacker he fired hitting dead on target. The vampire's head cocked back as the round tore into him. "Fuck, I really don't liking these guys." Connor said to himself as he continued to return fire. He had to get in close, and finish this fight, he didn't want any stray bullet hitting a gas tank setting the whole place alight or worse hitting Sasha.

Standing up he ran full speed to the three men still firing at him. While incendiaries were better for hunting vampires, they were also easy for Connor to see in flight. He ducked and dodged avoiding the flaming round. The rounds set his clothes on fire as they passed though, never hitting skin. Finally reaching his target he put the muzzle to the head of one of the vampires. The Vampire was young, and inexperienced he hadn't been able followed Connor's run through the hail of bullets, but by the time he did, it was far too late. "Boom" was all Connor said before firing his weapon at point blank range, into the vampire's head.

Before the Vampire's now headless corpse hit the ground the other two turned to him weapons blazing with their fiery ammunition. Connor moved fast enough so that he could feel the heat of the flaming bullets pass next to his face. He effortlessly moved to the second man putting the enemy vampire between Connor and the Vampire still firing. Connor put the barrel of his weapon to the belly of his current and unloaded the last of his clip into the man's stomach. Before the man could recover from the pain, Connor dropped the pistol and brought the heel of his hand into the man's nose forcing the cartilage from his nose into his frontal lobe.

All the while the other vampire unleashed a torrent of hellish rounds at his comrades back in a vain attempt to hit Connor. The vampire in front of Connor still reeling from pain couldn't stop Connor. With one quick motion Connor ripped the vampire's throat open. Grabbing the now exposed spinal column he pulled out three vertebrae, killing a second vampire.

Connor let the bloody trophy hit the ground as the last man, dropped his empty pistol and drew a machete from a sheath under his long coat.

Connor squared his stance and put his hand up, ready for the fight. The man rushed at Connor swinging his heavy blade. Connor stepped aside, but only to duck as well placed cut almost made contact with his neck.

Sasha looked out of the window in her office at this, deadly exchange. She didn't know what was happening, but she saw Connor move with an ungodly speed even dodging the bullets that tore the air intent on killing him. She saw a guy take a round from Connors monstrous gun in the head and shake it off all she could think was "this can't be real". Next she saw something that fifteen minutes ago she would have said was impossible, she saw Connor literally tear the spine out of one of his attackers.

Now the only one left was coming at Connor with a machete. Seeing enough Sasha reached for the shot gun she kept under the desk and headed back out.

Connor was starting to feel his exhaustion a week of hard fighting and not feeding in four days had left the old soldier with little strength left. The tip of the enemy vampire's blade cut through the front of his shirt and to the flesh underneath. The wound stung and blood started flow freely. In his weakened state there was nothing he could do but retreat from the blade as it whistled towards him.

He backed up until he felt the wooden wall of the garage at his back. He stood up strait ready to face death with his head held high. The vampire smirked nastily "Goodbye, my prince. Give my regards to the former king" with that the man brought the blade down, but it never came instead he heard a loud boom. The man fell to the ground headless.

Sasha stood behind where the vampire had been with a smirk she, and drops of blood that had sprayed on her face. She looked at Connor and said "Nice friends". She tried to sound tough but the pale look to her face and the haunted look in her eyes betrayed her true feelings. With the lack of danger Connor sat leaning heavily on the

Looking at Connors once white shirt ripped and now crimson, brought her to his side. "Holy shit, hold"

"I'm fine we need to leave right away, get what ever money you have here and get in the mustang go"

Sasha raised an eyebrow at him "Fine your bleeding every were and you ay your fine" She moved to the edges of the ripped shirt and pulled "This isn't exactly what I had in mind when I thought about ripping your clothes off but close enough." The fabric fell back to reveal his midsection covered in sticky blood. "Sasha we have to go before there friends come looking for them" said Connor as he stood up slightly light headed from all the blood loss and exertion. Putting all her weight behind her Sasha pushed a weakened Connor against the wall.

"Okay you're defiantly not alright, look at all this blood I need to clean it before I can bandage it." she ran into her office and came back with a water bottle and a first aid kit. She found Connor walking to his car wobbly. "Stop, God, do you have a death wish" she said again pushing him this time onto the car. She poured the water on to his chest and stomach washing a way the blood. To her surprise, what she saw was a perfectly tanned, well muscled, unbroken body not a single wound was left from his fight. "I've been trying to tell you it's not my blood, I'm just tired. But we seriously need to leave now grab what you need and get in the car" Sasha just nodded and ran to her office grabbing what ever money there was in the small lock box she kept, her shotgun, and her first aid kit and ran to the car.

She found Connor looking through the dead men's pockets, pulling out any cash, ammunition, or weapons. He then opened the trunk and deposited his new prizes into it.

Moving to the black sedan he again looked through it for any thing useful. He returned with a couple boxes of ammunition, more money, a pair of sawed of shotguns, and a small cooler. He put the rest of his haul in to the trunk with the rest but put the cooler in under the back seat.

It hit her then that the man, who ten minutes ago was she was ready to sleep with, was a ruthless, efficient killer. He tried to get into the driver seat, but Sasha stood in his way "What do you think you're doing?" Connor looked down to her and said "Getting into my car"

"No, no, no you can barely stand I'm driving you get in the passenger side" too weak to argue Connor did as he was told. "Head for New York, We'll be safe there. Don't stop for any things unless you have to." Mumbled Connor weakly before passing out cold in the passenger's side.

Sasha sat behind the wheel and stepped on the gas pedal. For some unknown reason she had abandoned her home, livelihood, and everything she knew got into a car with a man who had killed three others with no hesitation or remorse. Yet For some strange unimaginable reason she was ok with that. She had never wanted to spend there whole lives in that garage. "I guess this is my way out." Sasha thought as she drove to an unknown future.


	6. Revelatins

Indiana

Indiana

April 14th

4:46 am

Sasha had driven for close to twelve hours strait with only one stop for gas. She had been too afraid to do anything else but what Connor had instructed before passing out. Her arms and legs felt like stone and her eyes were red and puffy with fatigue, but still Connor was not moving. She stopped a couple of times to check how he was doing, but she couldn't wake him or for some reason find his pulse. For a while, she was afraid he was dead and if it weren't for the random facial twitches, she would have sworn he was.

She saw a small motel that seemed clean at least, and pulled into the parking lot. The way she figured even the people who were chasing them had to rest.

She mentally paused, chasing us, when had these people start chasing her. "Oh yea, when I blew that guys head off" She thought. Remembering what she had been obligated to do, she felt her stomach turn.

She opened the car door and was violently sick. Since she and Connor had run, she hadn't thought about the events that had led to were they are now. The thought of the man's blood spraying onto her face made her get sick again.

After feeling the car stop Connor awoke, to the smell of fear, panic and vomit. Looking to the driver side, he reached out and touched the girls shoulder. She jumped and turned to him "What did I say about sneaking? God didn't anyone ever tell you its rude?"

She tried to sound brave and nonchalant but the look in her eyes and the vomit on the street next to the car betrayed her. Looking at her he knew what was wrong it look he had seen thousands of times in his long life, the first kill was always hard. "You didn't have a choice when he was done with me he would have killed you, so there would be no witnesses."

She nodded "I know that but it doesn't change the fact that, he is dead and I killed him." Tears started to run down her pretty face. Connor reached out and pulled her close. She stayed there crying on his chest for a few minutes.

She pulled away from Connor and gave him a resurging smile. "Come on let's go inside and get cleaned up." Connor nodded in approval and grabbed the cooler from the back seat.

They walked over to the main office and rung the bell. The older man who came blinked at the sight of his new guests, one covered in dried blood and looking pale, the other with tired eyes and swaying from exhaustion. "How can I help you folks?" asked the man behind the counter.

Connor responded in a smooth if not shaky voice "We would like a room please" The man again nodded looking a the odd pair "It's a hundred for the day, and fifty for extra per day"

Connor took the money out of his back pocket and said, "Just until tonight, please" as he handed the older man a hundred dollar with a blood covered shaking hand.

The man reached behind him to were, the keys were kept, and took down a key "And under what names are you staying?" asked the man.

"James and Jane White" answered Connor smoothly the man nodded and went to hand them the key stopping just short of Connors hand "I'm not going to find either of you dead tomorrow morning am I?"

Connor planted a smile on his pale face "I assure you, sir, we will both be alive tomorrow" the man hesitated but ultimately handed over the key. "Okay, its room four down the hall to the left."

Connor thanked the man as he took the key and they headed to the room he saw given.

Connor opened the door and let Sasha in first. Making sure they weren't being followed he joined Sasha in the room.

Sasha was standing defiantly near the single bed in the room. "Ok, I let you got away with not telling me, what the fuck is going, on last night, only 'cause you were half dead. Yet, you seem to be feeling much better now. The problem is I saw that guy cut you, and now here you are fit as a fiddle. To top off this the list of crazy that has invaded my life in the twelve hours is the fact hat those guys took bullets to the head and got back up. So tell me, Connor, What the fuck are you exactly?"

Her words came out frantic and a little breathless, but Connor got the point, it was time for answers.

Connor motioned her to sit on the bed as he goes the single chair in the room and set it in front of her. "You right that man yesterday did cut me, and that blood was mine."

Sasha nodded "Okay, then please explain why you didn't leak blood all over that nice car of yours"

Looking into the cooler Connor pulled out a blood pack and put it on the dresser next to him. Sasha's face scrunched up in confusion "What's that?"

Connor looked at her in the eyes and simply said, "That's a blood pack, like the ones they keep in blood banks"

Again, Sasha looked confused "Why do you have it then?"

"Because, I need it," Said Connor after a long sigh.

Connor sighed thinking of the best way to word was possibly the biggest shock of her life. "I'm… how can I put this?"

Sasha shook her head in annoyance "Just fucking say it"

Connor took in a deep breath and let it out "I'm a vampire, Sasha, and those men who tried to kill me… us were vampires too."

Sasha looked at him, irritated "If you didn't want to tell me the truth you could have at least come up with a better story."

Connor blinked he had expected horror, fear, maybe even disgust. This was not at all, what he had expected in the slightest. "Sasha it's true. I'm a vampire and so were those men at your shop."

Sasha just shook her head "You know I saved you life back there, the least you could do is give me the decency of telling me the truth. God you're a dick!"

Again, Connor could think of nothing to say. "Fine, I'll prove it."

Standing up Connor elongated his fangs. Taking a pen from the near by dresser he jammed it in to his out-stretched arm. Sasha rushed over and grabbed the bleeding arm "What the hell are you doing? Are you in-…" She quieted at the sight of the man's arm healing before her eyes. Taking the blood pack from the dresser Connor bit the tubing at the top and drank deep emptying most of it in one large gulp. All Sasha could do was watch in horror.

She saw the color return to his cheeks and his grip get stronger as he drained the last of the pack.

Sasha looked up at his bloody, elongated fangs, and her eyes widened. "You weren't lying."

Connor shook his head "No, I wasn't."

Sasha backed away from Connor and into a corner. Connor stood his ground; this is more like what he was expecting.

"How? What? I don't understand. Vampires don't exist"

Connor nodded "Yea, and that's exactly what we want you to think. We've existed amongst you since recorded history and for most of that time you knew nothing."

"But how? How could no one know that your kind is out there?"

"It's easy really, no one would believes that we can exist, that and we cover our tracks very well."

Sasha looked at the man in front of her never in her life would she have thought that this handsome man was an undead monster. Her hand went to the nightstand and opened the drawer. Never taking her eyes of Connor, she reached into the drawer and pulled out the bible found in most motel rooms. "Stay back" she said holding the book in front of her like a shield.

Connor rolled his eyes, taking the Holy Scripture out of Sasha's hands; he put it against his head. "Holy water, crosses" motioning to the book in his hand "bibles, wooden steaks to the heart none of that stuff works on real vampires. That's just religious propaganda to make us look evil and wicked. Actually most of the crap you've seen in movies or television is wrong."

Sasha stayed pressed against the wall, but raised an eyebrow "So you're telling me that vampires aren't evil."

"I didn't say that vampires, like humans, are inherently neither good nor evil it varies from person to person. Some are evil, some like me, are not."

"Okay, but obviously vampires drink blood, how many people have you killed to feed on there blood?" she said accusingly.

Connor again breathed deeply "Yes, we feed on human blood but we don't normally kill humans we have strict laws about that. Moreover, most of our blood is from blood banks and willing participants these days."

"People let you feed on their blood?" said the young woman with a look of utter horror and disgust.

"You'd be surprised by how many." said Connor taking a slow and tentative step in the direction of the frightened human. She didn't immediately shrink away from him, which was, at the very least, was an improvement.

"Look Sasha I don't by any means, want to hurt, you saved my life, and I owe you for that. Now please sit back down and let's talk." Sasha looked at Connor with a suspicious look but after a moment, she nodded and sat back down on the bed.

"Okay you said those other men were vampires too, but it seemed to me that they were keen on killing you." Connor nodded and sat back on the chair he was on earlier. "They were. They worked for another vampire, by the name of Paul-Henri DeGaulle."

"The guy with the machete called you a prince what did he mean by that?" Asked Sasha, as her curiosity won out against her fear.

"This is how vampires work. Every city has a Sarrum or king he runners everything in the city and all vampires answer to him. Under him is what we call a Malku or prince he runs the businesses and dose whatever the king needs. Under them is a group of high-ranking vampires who have the title of barons they each control small parts of the city and what ever resources they have."

Sasha sat on the bed trying to understand all the new in formation. "So let me get his strait each city has vampires running around with different titles and no one notices, how?"

Connor smiled "Simple money and lots of it. Most of the fortune five hundred companies are owned by vampires, indirectly of course."

Again, Sasha's eyes widened "But how can they control so much and not be exposed?"

"We create shell companies, laundry money, whatever we have to keep our control behind the scenes"

"Okay I understand, I think. You were a Malku but you obviously not now. What happened?"

Connor smiled sadly, "The game happened" Sasha again looked confused "The Game is what we call our politics. However, it's so much more than that, because vampires are essentially immortal we have plots that take centuries for them to be fully realized. It's like a game of chess, but you can never really see all the pieces until it's all over."

Connor stood up and looked out of the window at the color splashed sky "About a month ago my sire, the man who turned me, got wind of an incoming invasion. As his General, his Shuhadaku, I got the troops ready and waited to defend our city, L.A. We did too, we fought, we fought them hard, but in the end it didn't matter, there were just too many. Last week we made our last stand in our headquarters. We fought so bravely, so very hard but in vain, because by the end of that night I was captured and my Sarrum was dead."

He turned back around to Sasha who saw tear run down his face. Standing up she walked to him hesitating only a little at first. She put he hand on his face and he smiled.

"Don't worry about me I'll be fine."

Sasha looked at him and asked "Were you and your, sire was it, close?"

Connor nodded "Very, he was like a father to me for a long time"

Sasha looked deep into Connor's eyes "In my life I have never judged anyone for what they were. I don't intend on starting now," Connor grinned, "mind you that doesn't mean I trust you. It means you haven't tried to hurt me and you have been honest with me, so ill give you a shot, but your on probation"

Connor smiled "This wouldn't be the first time a beautiful woman has put me on probation."

Sasha smiled back while looking out the window, seeing the rising sun she asked, "Don't you need to find coffin somewhere?"

Connor shook his head and said "No vampires can be in the in the sun it just really hurts after a while"

Looking at the small bed Connor turned to Sasha "You can have the bed."

"Where are you going to sleep?"

"The chair, I've sleep in worst, trust Me." answered Connor.

Sasha looked at the vampire cautiously "Ok then, but if I wake up with holes on my neck and a craving for human blood, we're going to have a very serious talk about violation of trust."

Looking at Connor, Sasha smiled "You know as first dates go, this has go to be the most memorable of any other." With that, she wrapped the blankets around her self and fell in to a deep sleep to the sound of Connors rumbling laugh.


	7. Hit the road

Indiana

Indiana

Lucky star motel

April 14th

4:26 pm

Connor awoke to the sound of running water. Shaking his head Connor sat up and shook his head to clear it.

He stood up, went to the small mirror, and looked at his reflection. He looked pale and drawn; there were dark circles under his blood shot eyes. "I look old." he mused to himself with a chuckle.

Moving to the dresser, he opened the cooler and retrieved a single blood pack .Taking a glass from the mini bar, he set it next to the cooler and poured the blood into it.

Drinking deeply he felt the cold liquid start to revitalize his worn out body. As he finished the last of his drink he heard the water stop.

After a moment, Sasha stepped out of the bathroom. Her slim figure was clad in nothing but a white towel that only reached to the top of her thighs. Steam escaped from behind her, and seemed to play with her naked form, giving her wet appearance an almost other worldly quality.

Sasha smiled as Connor stood staring at her barely clad body. "If you like the trailer," said Sasha with a seductive smile "you'll love the movie."

With that, she turned around and started looking through Connors bag. Connor shook his head to take him out of the stupor Sasha's scantily clad body had put him.

"Can I help you find anything?" Connor asked, as he saw Sasha throw his clothes out of his bag.

"Well since we left in a hurry and I didn't get to grab any of my clothes, so I'm going to have to borrow some of yours." Taking out a black t-shirt, she put her hand on the knot holding the ends of the towel together. Turning around to see Connor staring she cleared her throat. "Umm, would you mind?"

Connor quickly turned away from Sasha. He heard the towel hit the ground and it took him all of his strength not to peek at Sasha's naked body. "So why are we going to new York any way?"

"It's a vampire independent state, plus I have resource there." said Connor as he tried to focus on something than the uncomfortable tightness in his pants.

"What's a vampire independent state?" asked Sasha as she slipped into Connors large shirt.

"Most vampires belong to one of seven clan. There pretty much always at each other's throats so if you're from one clan you can't just go to another clan's city. Well not if you want to keep your head. An independent state is a city whose king has no clan and there for his lands are neutral."

"So, Can we trust the king of New York?" asked Sasha as she put on her pants and started looking for a pair of Connors socks.

Connor chuckled, his back still to Sasha "Last night you thought I was a monster, but today you seem to be saying _we_, a lot."

"Yea well, I figure that those guys probably now want me dead too so you're the lesser of two evils. For now any way."

Connor laughed outright at the comment. "Are you sure you're not a Vampire, because you seem to play the Game very well."

Sasha just made a strange growling noise at Connor "But to answer your first question yes _we_ can trust him."

With that, Connor turned around as Sasha was putting on her boots.

With in the hour they were back on the road toward safety. Sasha sat in the passenger side and played with the radio finding nothing suitable she turned her attention to the vampire next to her. "Tell me about the clans." she said.

Connor frowned "What do you want to know?"

"Well, how 'bout what clan your from?"

"Okay, I am a part of the Anzu clan." Said Connor keeping his eyes on the road ahead of him.

"Anzu that's a weird word" Sasha continued

"It's Sumerian it means 'those who know heaven'" Sasha's brow scrunched together.

"Those other words Sarrum, Malku are those Sumerian too"

Connor nodded "Yes, most vampire speak at least basic Sumerian its away to communicate with out humans understanding"

Sasha' curiosity again got the best of her as she asked "Why Sumerian?"

Connor contemplated not telling her, but decided to tell her. She already knew too much but if he was going to throw her into his world, she may as well go in with as much information as possible. "First, Sumerian is a dead language amongst humans so most won't understand it. Second, the early reference to vampires is in Sumerian lore. Third, many vampires believe that our kind began in Ancient Sumer."

Sasha absorbed what Connor was saying before asking, "What do you mean you started in Sumer?" Connor took a deep breath before answering, "Vampire have a legend that during the Sumerian empire, seven houses ruled the country. These seven houses were lead by men who were brutal even by there standards. So the god Anu cursed the leaders of the houses, supposedly Anu said that since they drained the life out of summers people they would now have to drain their blood to survive. Then he decreed that the sun itself would turn on these cursed beings so that they would never again stand under the light of the gods.

These seven men allegedly, then went on to found the seven clans of the vampires that now roam the world."

Sasha scowled "That's kind of dark"

Connor blinked and turned his head to Sasha "We're Vampires."

Sasha shrugged, "So if each clan can have multiple kings, how do they know who's in charge?"

Connor again hesitated before answering these questions related to his secret society. "The clan chooses an Abum, or father. When they die or retire a new one is chosen to take their place"

Sasha frowned, "So who's the Abum of the Anzu clan?"

It never ceased to amaze Connor how humans always seemed to let their curiosity get the best of them. "Right now there is no Abum for my clan. That was Cain's title and now that he's dead, my clan is leaderless."

"That's can't be good," commented Sasha after a moment of thought

Connor shook his head before saying, "That's the understatement of the millennia. When Cain died, I was supposed to assume his position until a new Abum could be chosen to replace him. With Cain dead and me missing, the clan is going to tear its self-apart best-case scenario the different kings will start to bicker and one will muscle his way in to power, worst-case an all out civil war."

Sasha looked at Connor in a new perspective "So your kind of big deal, huh."

Connor shrugged his shoulders at that. "I'm just the one Cain chose to keep the others from tearing each other to pieces when he died."

"If he left you that responsibility he must have really trusted you." She insisted.

"No, the others are scared of me and Cain knew that. You have to understand the kings are like wolves, they'll only play ball when there scared of someone. Cain knew that so I was the obvious choice, because He knew I didn't want to lead the clan, and like I said their scared of me" clarified Connor.

Realization finally dawned on Sasha's face "So you need to get to New York before the kings start ripping each other to ribbons."

Connor smiled at Sasha, she was learning the basics of the Game very quickly "Exactly, That's why DeGaulle is so very keen on killing me. Not only am I am I a high ranking member of my clan, but I'm the only one who can stop the infighting so that we can focus on our real threat, DeGaulle. With me dead the clan will start to kill itself and DeGaulle can do what ever he wants."

As Sasha listens to Connor, she started to think about the world she had unwittingly joined. A world were people were nothing more than pawns, a means to an end. She felt a pang of pity for Connor, who seemed to have surrendered himself into a life of plotting and deceit. She reminded that weather she had wanted to or not she was now a part of this same devious world as Connor.


End file.
